‘She heard that I lost my pajama’: When chef Vikas Khanna recalled a hilarious conversation with his grandmother just before serving former US President Barack Obama

"For them, it doesn't matter whom you are cooking for," said Vikas Khanna

New Delhi | February 26, 2025 03:28 PM IST

4 min read

Chef Vikas Khanna on his roots (Photo: Chef Vikas Khanna/Instagram)

Over the years, chef Vikas Khanna has cooked for several influential people. Despite that, he remains grounded, a trait he fondly credits to his humble beginnings. In a conversation in 2012, he opened up about one such humbling but hilarious incident of an exchange with his 94-year-old grandmother just before serving former United States President Barack Obama. A snippet of the video has resurfaced on the internet and garnered praise.

“I called my Biji (grandmother) to take her blessings for an evening event I was hosting for President Barack Obama. Our conversation started like a daily ritual over the phone, a daily routine for me to first say ‘pairi pauna, biji’. Then I told her, ‘My heart is shrinking like it is beating too fast. I just want to hear your voice. I am very lost right now because President Barack Obama is about to arrive,” Khanna recalled at Asia Society New York.

Sharing that she was sometimes hard of hearing, he added, “She heard that I lost my pajama. She is having a panic attack early in the morning, that my grandson can’t find a pajama. That was so endearing. For them, it doesn’t matter whom you are cooking for. Your small loss or your small discomfort worries them more. This is what they stood for.”

The adorable incident resonated with users online, with one commenting, “That last statement of a small loss hits hard. I left India to go study in the US 35 years back and despite me telling my mom over the phone that I was doing well at school or getting to teach undergraduate students, all she wanted to know was if I had slept well and eaten. All other achievements were secondary – that was unconditional love and her love cutting through all else in the world. Now all I have are the memories, her words etched in my heart, and the stories that I love to share”.

Another shared, “Such a sweet memory narrated so cutely.”

The presence of family can mean a lot (Photo: Freepik)

Taking a cue from this incident, let’s understand why our minds seek familial comfort at crucial times.

Dr Chandni Tugnait, MD (AM), psychotherapist, coach, healer, and founder and director of Gateway of Healing, asserted that our minds naturally seek meaningful connections, as family bonds form the foundation of our emotional health. “Maintaining strong family bonds serves as a vital anchor in the turbulent waters of public life. When people acknowledge prioritising family relationships, the underlying psychological factors offer insights into mental wellness,” said Dr Tugnait.

Simple conversations like these, certain words invoking the comfort of home, or just being there for important moments remind people of who they really are and how they started their lives from humble backgrounds. “Family members, especially those who knew them before becoming famous, hardly ever hesitate to be honest and real,” said Dr Tugnait.

Also Read | ‘Thoda initial hitch toh tha’: Kishwer Merchant Rai on being a Muslim woman married into a Hindu family and her 8-year age gap with Suyyash Rai

Spending time with family helps individuals stay grounded in reality, which helps them evolve for the better.

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